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Jet Lag
Medical Questions » Jet Lag
| Name: Jet Lag |
| Also known as: Rapid Time Change Syndrome |
| Varied symptoms caused by longitudinal (east-west) intercontinental flights. Long latitudinal (north-south) flights do not cause jet lag. |
Causes of Jet Lag
Long intercontinental flights, and worse when flying east (against time) than flying west. Children are more upset by time changes and may take several days to adjust. |
Symptoms of Jet Lag
Tiredness, headaches, nausea, aching muscles, dizziness, irritability, restlessness and disorientation. |
Tests for Jet Lag
Mental tests have been used to demonstrate adverse effects. |
Treatment for Jet Lag
Adjust to the local time zone as soon as possible after the start of the flight. Small, frequent carbohydrate rich meals and extra fluids during the flight will aid recovery, but alcohol will slow it. Analgesic preparations (eg. paracetamol and aspirin) and a mild sleeping tablet (eg. temazepam) may be useful. The hormone melatonin, normally produced by the time regulating pineal gland at the front of the brain, is being used to reset the body clocks and prevent jet lag, but the use of this drug is still controversial.
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Complications of Jet Lag of its treatment
Poor decisions may be made in the first day or two after a long flight. |
Likely Outcome of Jet Lag
Full recovery depends upon the length of the flight, the time of departure and arrival and the direction flown. It may take up to four days to fully recover from a 12 hour time difference. |
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